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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23881261">Anchors, and all that</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikharlow/pseuds/mikharlow'>mikharlow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Magnus Archives (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Codependency, Comfort, M/M, The Apocalypse, The Lonely - Freeform, even in death peter haunts us, martin abuses jon's google powers, post 164 pre 165</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 14:56:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,203</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23881261</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikharlow/pseuds/mikharlow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An excerpt of Jon and Martin's journey to London, and how they help each other through it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Martin Blackwood/Jonathan Sims</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Anchors, and all that</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>its the first tma fic i've ever posted! please be kind we're all suffering on this season 5 train together</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was quiet, as they came to pass through sprawling fields, and by a few scattered farmhouses that stood silently and seemed much further away than they actually were. Martin’s first thought was that the locals had up and left -- rightly so -- once they’d seen what had come over the rest of the world, but he knew that wasn’t right. He didn’t think that this new world would be merciful enough to simply… leave a place untarnished. Instead, he focused on the way the grass didn’t sway with the wind, the way that he somehow just </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> that they were the only two around for miles, and he came to the conclusion this place must have been touched by The Lonely, which… didn’t exactly make him feel great. There was a certain dread that came with the realisation that made his hands and feet feel even colder than they had before, him becoming too aware of his breath puffing out in clouds like fog, and how it didn’t dissipate but instead seemed to drift away and join the rest of the fog rolling in from all sides.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t like the silence. Jon had gotten to be a couple steps ahead of him (Martin’s pace must’ve slowed somewhat), and so he jogged a little to catch up. When he came to Jon’s side, Jon reached for his hand absently, and Martin gave it to him, gratefully twining their fingers together.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a bit eerie, isn’t it?” he said, gesturing to the fields around them that seemed to go on forever. “All the other places had something going on, you know? Makes the absence of it all just… weird.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jon hummed. He was looking into the distance, but his eyes didn’t seem to be focused on anything in particular. Martin got the impression that he was Seeing something, and felt his chest tighten. He squeezed Jon’s hand, and after a beat, Jon squeezed back, coming out of his daze a little and turning to face Martin. “Sorry, I--”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” Martin said. “It’s alright. Do you… want to vent?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jon’s eyes lingered on his bag, where he carried the tape recorder, then shook his head. “No, it’s alright. We should keep going. This place is, uh.... It- it can’t be good for you to be here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t. He didn’t like the way the fog curled around his legs. The way it felt a little bit like hands. Martin took a deep breath, and gave him a smile. “Then let’s keep going. Any idea how long we’ve got until we’re out of the creepy fields?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It only took Jon a moment to respond. “Distance means nothing, but about forty minutes.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, of course. I forgot you’re the Yahoo Answers of the new world.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This earned him a laugh from Jon. “I’d like to think I’m more competent than Yahoo Answers.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, two years ago I might’ve agreed with you.” teased Martin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jon mocked offense, throwing up his eyebrows. “What on earth have I done to lower your opinion of me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Martin hummed, as if deep in thought. “Hm, maybe the time you got kidnapped? Or maybe even the </span>
  <em>
    <span>other</span>
  </em>
  <span> time you got kidnapped? How about the </span>
  <em>
    <span>third</span>
  </em>
  <span> time you--”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, alright,” sighed Jon. “I must admit, some of the things I’ve done weren’t so...</span>
  <em>
    <span>enlightened</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“D’you think so?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jon nudged Martin’s shoulder a little. “Oh, shut up.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Martin began to laugh, swinging his and Jon’s hands a bit between them. The laughter felt like it was hitting soundproof walls all around them, instead of echoing out into the fields around them, but it helped warm Martin nonetheless.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s play a game.” Martin chirped, receiving a look of confused surprise from Jon. “It involves your Knowing powers, if you don’t mind.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Depends what you want me to Know.” Jon replied, but it wasn’t a refusal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Martin continued. “I want you to tell me things about me. Like, I ask you something about my life, and you -- tell me. Thought it could be a fun way to use your eldritch influence.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jon looked apprehensive. “I don’t want to pry, though… I don’t know how much I’ll be able to see.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Martin shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I want you to know more about me. Seeing as I, uh, I--”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Lied?” offered Jon.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“--</span>
  <em>
    <span>Embellished</span>
  </em>
  <span> some things about myself.” Martin finished pointedly.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a small sigh, Jon smiled. “What’s your first question, then?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I-- I hadn’t actually thought of one yet.” said Martin. “How about… what pet did I really want as a kid?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jon thought for a moment. “A-- A chicken. You wanted to name it Robin.” He smiled at Martin curiously. “Really?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I really liked farm animals growing up, and… chickens just seemed really cute to me.” Martin admitted. “I thought having our own supply of eggs would’ve been really cool. But we lived in a council house, tiny garden, and I doubt they would’ve allowed it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I see your point.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, next one. What was the best grade I ever got on an English exam?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A beat. “A low B, in Ms Simmon’s class. You were proud because your dyslexia had been giving you trouble that year.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, yeah, I remember that.” Martin chuckled. “She was kind of mean, honestly. I’d liked my teacher from the year before a lot better.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mrs MacKenzie.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s the one.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They went back and forth for a long while, Martin’s questions becoming more specific and nostalgia-inducing, while Jon seemed to become calmer and less distant. Soon, the fog began to thin again, and it stopped feeling like the wispy tendrils of it were always at the back of Martin’s neck. The grass started to look less dull, and the scenery less monotonous. He felt The Lonely’s grip on them start to fade, and he breathed a sigh of relief.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, Jon tensed beside him, and Martin could tell something was trying to be Seen again now they were free from the fields of fog. He stopped walking and held onto Jon tighter. “Hey, hey, come back to me.” he said softly, reaching his free hand to Jon’s cheek, turning him around to look at Martin alone, and not the horizon where the Panopticon loomed, watchful. “Don’t look out there. Stay with me for now. Just a little longer until we can stop.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, Jon started to see him again, and he leaned his forehead against Martin’s. He held Martin’s hand against his cheek and closed his eyes for a minute, and when he opened them again, he was smiling weakly. “Thank you, Martin.” he whispered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Martin responded by pressing a kiss to Jon’s cheek, and rubbing his thumb across Jon’s cheekbone. “We’ve got this, remember?” he said. “Anchors, and all that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes… yes, we’ve got this.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As the last place of terror faded from them completely, they stayed grounded in the brief respite of peace. Everything else drifted away just for a moment, as if they were the eye of the storm, and it was only the two of them in the world. But eventually, they’d have to keep walking. And they would; together, hand in hand, and ready to face what awaited them there.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks so much for reading!!! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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